Loved the arrangement of the street-facing tables (though the view could have been better), the vintage and antique-y decor, and soft acoustic music in the background.
The latte, unfortunately, was a fail (the menu promised art!), and so were the prices.
Nevertheless, one can’t put a price to the time spent in solitude and contemplation.
Gone are the days when the place was quiet, filled with only a few wandering souls who sought respite, in a home away from home.
When the only conversations which took place were those between close friends or couples, as undertones to french music lingering in the air.
When sunlight could stream in from the windows, unhindered, unblocked, and the wooden floor only groaned periodically from the occasional pressure of human feet.
When I stepped in yesterday, the place was filled with large groups, chattering and laughing loudly. The waiters, who used to leisurely serve us with a smile, now looked harried and stressed. The tables, which once looked welcoming and inviting, now felt like battle grounds, as patrons snatched prime spots as soon as one was vacated.
Is this, sadly, just another consequence of development and progress? Something we have to accept, as a trade-off for having the place around? For, if there were no visitors, no crowd, who knows – they would not have survived this long.
And so with rents as high as they are here, it seems like the only places that can survive are those that do a bustling business. What will happen to those which offer quiet and peace, then?
I think of the other places which I frequent more now, for that peace and quiet, and I pray that they can survive long enough, even without the need for Change to come knocking on their doors.
Another escape from the city. Another corner to think, write, and watch.
Another place to breathe … and experiment with funny iPhone apps 😉
I admit, I was there mainly to read the magazine >.<
And of course, the solitude.
Along Life's Path 